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Key Points

The death toll from devastating landslides in North Bengal has climbed to 36 as rescue operations continue. Political tensions escalated when BJP MPs were attacked while attempting to deliver relief supplies to affected areas. Prime Minister Modi criticized the state's law and order situation, prompting Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee to accuse him of politicizing the disaster. The BJP has now questioned whether Mamata has the moral authority to give lessons on governance amid the crisis.

Key Points: Bengal Landslide Death Toll Rises to 36 Amid BJP-Mamata Clash

  • Death toll from landslides in North Bengal hills rises to 36 people
  • BJP MPs attacked while delivering relief supplies to affected areas
  • PM Modi criticizes Bengal's law and order situation after the attack
  • Mamata Banerjee accuses PM of politicizing the natural disaster
  • Relief operations progress as weather conditions improve in region
  • BJP questions Mamata's moral authority to give lessons to PM
3 min read

Bengal landslides: Death toll rises to 36; BJP questions Mamata Banerjee on morality lessons

Death toll reaches 36 in North Bengal landslides as BJP questions Mamata Banerjee's morality after attack on BJP MPs delivering relief supplies.

"It wasn’t the Prime Minister who politicised the disaster -- it was Mamata Banerjee who abdicated responsibility. - Amit Malviya"

Kolkata, Oct 7

The death toll following heavy rainfall and landslides in the hills, Terai, and Dooars regions in North Bengal till Tuesday morning has risen to 36, as per the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and district administrations in Darjeeling and Jalpaiguri.

With the weather conditions improving since Monday morning, there has been substantial progress in relief and rescue operations. Several affected people have been shifted to safe places, and tourists have been evacuated from the affected areas.

Meanwhile, the BJP has questioned whether the Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee had the moral right to question the Prime Minister over the latter’s criticism of the West Bengal government and Trinamool Congress following the attack on a BJP Lok Sabha member and party legislator, allegedly by the ruling party activists, on Monday afternoon.

After the vehicle of BJP Lok Sabha member, Khagen Murmu and the party’s chief whip in the Assembly, Shankar Ghosh was attacked while they were on their way to the disaster-affected areas with relief for the people, in which Murmu was severely injured, the Prime Minister issued a social media statement on the same evening and claimed that the development highlighted the insensitivity of the Trinamool Congress as well as the absolutely pathetic law and order situation in the state.

On Monday night, Mamata Banerjee issued a counter-statement accusing the Prime Minister of politicising the natural disaster in North Bengal and claimed that he chose to blame the Trinamool Congress and the West Bengal government outright without any verified evidence, legal inquiry, or administrative report.

Hours after that, the BJP’s Information Technology Cell Chief and the party’s central observer for West Bengal issued a statement questioning whether the Chief Minister had any moral right to give lessons of morality to the Prime Minister.

“It wasn’t the Prime Minister who politicised the disaster -- it was Mamata Banerjee who abdicated responsibility. Instead of leading relief efforts, she was busy celebrating in Kolkata, while BJP MPs and MLAs were on the ground, providing aid to the affected,” Malviya claimed.

He also claimed that the attack on the BJP Lok Sabha member and the legislators was not spearheaded by the local people but by the ruling party's goons.

“The same Chief Minister who speaks of constitutional ethos runs a regime where: Opposition candidates are killed during elections, women are brutalised in Sandeshkhali and Basirhat, police turn into party muscle and relief is distributed on party lines,” Malviya added.

- IANS

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Reader Comments

R
Rohit P
Why are BJP leaders going to disaster areas with party flags? Relief work should be neutral. Both sides are politicizing this tragedy. Shameful behavior from all politicians involved.
A
Arjun K
NDRF teams are doing commendable work in such difficult terrain. Instead of fighting, state and central governments should coordinate better for disaster management. We've seen this pattern in every natural calamity.
S
Sarah B
As someone who visited Darjeeling last year, I know how vulnerable those hills are. Climate change is making these disasters more frequent. We need long-term solutions, not political point-scoring.
V
Vikram M
The attack on BJP MPs is completely unacceptable. No matter which party you support, violence against elected representatives is against democracy. Mamata government needs to ensure law and order.
K
Kavya N
My cousin lives in Siliguri and they've been helping with relief work. The ground reality is much worse than what's being reported. People need food, shelter and medical aid, not political statements.
M
Michael C
Both sides have valid points but timing is everything. When people are suffering, leaders should focus on relief operations first. The political debate can wait for another day.

We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.

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